This document provides guidance on the key elements that should be included in a high school profile to accurately portray the school to colleges. It recommends including contact information, community and school details, curriculum information, grading procedures, test score data, college attendance history, extracurricular opportunities, and formatting suggestions. An effective profile comprehensively describes the school's academic programs, student demographics, and achievements in a standardized one-page format to help colleges evaluate applicants.

1. Creating Your School Profile
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What colleges need to know about your school
Here are the crucial elements (according to college representatives and high school counselors)
of a high school profile that is both comprehensive and accurately portrays the uniqueness of
your school. Be sure to update your profile annually.
View a sample high school profile to see how all the pieces fit together.
School name, mailing address, web address, and phone and fax numbers
Include names, phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses of the principal and all
counselors.
Provide school's URL.
Provide directions to the school and preferred days and times for college visits.
(Optional)
CEEB code
Community and school information
Include a description of the school community and the school that depicts the
socioeconomic and ethnic mix, as well as information about the educational level of the
parents, major employers, and other features of interest. Independent schools may include
history, mission, and admission guidelines.
Provide the percent of students who participate in low-income programs (e.g., Title I,
AVID, free or reduced lunch), which is also helpful in defining a school.
Include accreditation, institutional memberships, and special recognitions and honors.
Curriculum
Describe the available academic programs, special diplomas, tracks, or nontraditional or
unusual curricula.
List AP® and honors courses.
Detail the enrollment policies (open or selective) for AP courses and describe AP
participation; e.g., the number of students in the school, the number and percent taking
AP courses, the number and percent taking AP Exams.
List graduation requirements. (Optional)
Grading and ranking procedures

2. Explain grading and ranking procedures, especially any weighting system used.
Include appropriate explanations for computer codes that appear on the transcript.
Test score information
Report distribution and ranges for SAT® and ACT.
Include other test information (e.g., AP, National Merit) of interest to colleges.
College attendance history
Include the percentage of students attending two-year and four-year, in-state and out-of-
state institutions.
Include a listing of colleges and universities attended by recent graduates.
Extracurricular opportunities
Additional suggestions
Use the preferred format: one page, front and back, on regular (non-glossy) paper. Print
on 8 1/2" × 11" regular paper. Use dark ink on light paper—many colleges scan profiles
into their systems.
Highlight changes to any grading and ranking policies, as well as any changes to the
curriculum.
Include information or data that helps differentiate a school and/or its programs from
others.